the fingering rules while offering Naivedyam ..

the fingering rules while offering Naivedyam .. 

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Note: This is a post on ritualistic aspects of partaking in food or offering food to God.. as per Indian Traditions.. It may not be of much use to those outside the Hindu Faith..

The practices are supposed to have tantric significance too..

According to Shandilya Smriti.. and other texts 

Usually when we offer ceremonial parishechanam (the ceremonial ablution with water ) before taking food or offering food as Naivedyam to God, we chant the mantras

Praanaaya Svaahaa, 

Apaanaaya Svaahaa, 

Vyaanaaya Swaahaa, 

Udaanaaya Swaahaa, 

Samaanaaya swaahaaH .. the offering to the five vital elements residing in the body or in the deity 

and 

finally the offer to the Brahman the supreme being.. 

as Brahmane swaahaaH..

SwaahaH is the consort of the God of Fire, Agni and eating food and offering food to God both are considered as offering in a yajnam to the Fire God.. We chant the name of SwaahaaH while offering oblation to fire.. The same chant is used here too.

( Of course our digestive system is supposed to be kindled by Jaadaraagni.. with the support of the vital five functions of pancha Praanas.. prana,apana,vyana, udana, and samana)

While taking rice we just take to lips small cooked grains, holding them between the thumb and the index finger, and making offers to Prana, Apana, Vyana Udana, and Samana and Brhmam..

When we offer naivedyam to God, we just show our full right palm to God as if it were a fan and just move the palm from the Naivedyam kept in the vessel in the direction of the deity..

But the real rule for such offer is prescribe by sags Shandilya in his treatise on procedures. 

I quote from Sage shandilya..

तर्जनीमध्यमाङ्गुष्ठलग्नः प्राणाहुतिर्भवेत् 

मध्यमानामिकाङ्गुष्ठैरपाने जुहुयत्ततः

कनिष्ठानामिकाङ्गुष्ठैर्व्याने च जुहुयाद्धविः 

तर्जनी तु बहिः कृत्वा उदाने जुहुयात्ततः

समाने सर्वहस्तेन समुदायाहुतिर्भवेत् 

शाण्डिल्यस्मृति

tarjanīmadhyamāṅguṣṭhalagnaḥ prāṇāhutirbhavet 

madhyamānāmikāṅguṣṭhairapāne juhuyattataḥ

kaniṣṭhānāmikāṅguṣṭhairvyāne ca juhuyāddhaviḥ 

tarjanī tu bahiḥ kṛtvā udāne juhuyāttataḥ

samāne sarvahastena samudāyāhutirbhavet 

śāṇḍilyasmṛti

The offer to the Praana.. Praanaaya svaahaaH should be made keeping the Index Finger, the Middle Finger and the Thumb together..

The offer to the Apana Shounld be made by keeping the Middle Finger, Ring Finger (Anamika) and the Thumb together.. 

The offer to Vyaana should be made keeping together the thumb, the Ring finger and the little finger together.

The offer to Udaana should be made by keeping the Indiex finger out and keeping together the other four fingers namely the thumb, the middle finger the ring finger and the little finger together..

The offer to Samaana is to be made pressing together the tips of all the five fingers.. (According to Shaandilya)

But there is a different version where offer to Samaana is to be made keeping together all fingers excepting the little finger. 

And offer to the Brahmam is to be made with full hand with all the fingers..

Of course, the Dharmashastras prescribe the use of only the right hand..